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 Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 4:50 pm
 He'd forgotten how hot the desert was, how bright the sun was to his eye, forgotten how the sand irritated his white hide. It seemed family life had made him soft, something he swore with a low growl he would never allow to happen again. No, the bitter, aggressive, unyielding demon had returned. And he was on a mission, to track down and tear his brother to shreds, to cause him pain unlike any he had every known, to bring down on him the sorrow War had given him.
The time he spent at the oasis had served him well, wounds healing and blood was away, leaving only the scars behind. He had been wise to wait outside the firekin, knowing better than to show such weakness to such a strong pride. Now he had little to fear from them, his white coat blending in well enough to pass for one of them if need be. However for once he did take the time to disguise what was left of his wings, not wishing to slow his progress by provoking unnecessary confrontations.
Most other lions would have traveled around the firekin, fearing the desert and the red pelts that roamed it. But the god of Conflict was not a typical lion; he was massive, strong, and unafraid. But more than that, this was the quickest route to his brother, a brother than had passed through here, Tanaka could smell him.
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Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 5:20 pm
Tamu'meka was taking care of the girls for a little while. Azula simply needed to have a rest from Zari and Zita's constant bickering. The oldest female from this litter of hers had such an attitude problem. Her spice was one thing, but Azula could already see that Zita would need a lot of work before she would be crafted from the rough stone into the diamond she knew she could be. Stunning in apperance, unbreakable, and with the capability to shine brighter than the sun itself. That girl would learn control, even if it meant Azula had to discipline her daily to do so.
Then there was Zari, who tended to be unbelievably childish, though not intolerable. Azula found it acceptable, given her young age. She had a passionate energy that Azula was certain would make her a dangerous opponent as well someday. Some of her children she was still learning, but so far her pride and joy was her oldest. Ashi, who walked alongside her with Kadogo'moto, her youngest, trailing behind at her paws. She would not let them have the benifit of shade so easily, for now focusing on building their tolerance to the heat. She decided that it would best benifit the cubs if they each learned their way around the dunes, but only had the patience to keep up with her two quietest right now.
They crested another dune, and Azula turned to look out from one side of the lands. They could see the dens from here, as well as the spot of oasis on the far, far distant horizon.
Oh... but lo', what was this? Something ELSE caught her eye as well, approaching the three traveling pride members. The lioness stood silent as she analyzed the situation with a narrowed bloody gaze, her black tail the only thing moving (flicking to one side like an indecisive serpent) besides the shifting sands around them.
"Stay close, boys." She warned only once, never taking her eyes off of the hulking stranger.
Kadogo certainly needn't be told twice. He took the moment to move closer to Azula, though wisely remaining obedient and keeping out of the shade her figure offered. He knew from watching their sisters that just because mother became distracted by other things it wasn't an invitation to go against her direct orders or explicit instructions. Until she said it was alright to shade himself, or did so for him, they would just have to bear the heat, however uncomfortable it may be.
So who was that stranger on the distant horizon?
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Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 3:06 pm
Paws tarnished by the desert sands, the lion trod at a steady pace, cutting through the lands with a purpose he would not be swayed from. But something caused him to pause, a lingering presence that pierced his senses, a familiar scent. Gaze narrowed, the white lion searched the sandy dunes, ears pricked to any sound, his muzzled raised skyward to claim the scents from the dry air.
Green eyes fell on red pelts of the distant figures, first the larger then drifting to the two smaller, most likely a lioness and her cubs. He would have dismissed them, deciding they weren't worth his trouble. But something about those three captured his interest, a familiar presence just touching them, like a fragrant scent, there for a moment then lost in the wind. The question was why. Was it merely coincidence or something much more interesting?
Finally deciding it was far to delicious an opportunity to ignore, the white lion stepped forward, long strides carrying him to the spot where the three firekin waited. As he trod, a sly smirk crossed his maw, talons flexing for a moment then disappearing in anticipation of what was sure to be an interesting encounter.---------------------------------- Sand slipped through white-tipped toes of the young cub as he walked silently at his mother's side. He was strong in his youth, excelling at control at such a young age, never touched by emotions, perhaps he did not possess them. He did not drag or linger behind his mother as Kadogo did, but rather stepped briskly to stay at her side even as the hot sun beat on his brilliant red pelt.
With each step, young eyes remained alert, ears swiveling attentively, absorbing every detail of the lands around him. It seemed such a barren land, blazing with fire as hot as his own heart was cold, and it seemed there was no better place for such a child to be born.
Hearing his mother's voice, Ashi turned, acknowledging the warning with a simple gaze before settling at her side. His own tail flicked, red eyes focused on the distant white pelt, unknowing of the fateful encounter that was sure to come.
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Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 6:01 pm
Azula's eyes remained narrowed as the other drew near, not wavering in her stance anymore than the outsider wavered from his decided path. Most other Firekin would have met him halfway with warning growls and glares (for though his pelt was white, she could also see that his partial-mane was a very tawny brown, like the richest of gazelle or cheetah's hide. It was certainly not a color of the blood that she'd ever seen before), but Azula would not. To chase after some stranger like a rabid, territorial mongrel was nothing short of idiotic. No, they'd wait here, and they'd see what this new-comer wanted.
Something seemed familiar about him, though from a distance Azula was unable to tell what. Being no seer herself, she had to rely only on her senses and sharp intelligence to gather information, and there was something far too vague about his scent, taunting her memory. All she needed was a connecting clue. She knew that for him to smell familiar but different at the same time, he must be related to someone that she'd met before...
It seemed to strike her suddenly as he drew close enough for her to better make out his features. The black tear stains on his face, and as her gaze drifted lower she also saw the stripes on his toes. The very son sitting on her left side bore the same markings, which meant--
She kept this realization hidden, eyes leveling on Tanaka's face again just as quickly as they had drifted down, maybe faster. Her expression was very nearly as blank as her son's, except that she seemed a touch more frigid, as though expecting this to be a waste of her time.
"Well well... what brings a wanderer such as yourself this far into the blood-lands?" She almost purred, quite contradictory to her demeanour, a combination which would no doubt leave most mortal outsiders sick with worry and dread. Somehow, she wasn't expecting such a response from this one...
The second son at her other side inched as close to his mother as he could come without falling into her shadow, and gave a visible shiver at the ice lacing her form, that being the only distraction from the towering stranger. Kadogo was too young to understand what he felt, but much like Tanaka felt a stir of something strange from the trio, so Kadogo did also, though admittedly on a much smaller scale. Something familiar, that was all he could place. But how? Mother and father had certainly never spoken of such a lion.
He stared up meekly at Tanaka as he waited to see what would transpire from this meeting.
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Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 1:26 pm
He had been watching them, burning green gaze falling on every detail, every feature that each stride closer revealed. There was something there, he could smell it, could feel it, feel it as strongly as the desert heat. It taunted his senses, gnawing at his mind like an annoying insect on hot, humid day.
And then it hit him, a realization shooting through his mind like lightning. It was not the lioness, it was her cubs, and as his eyes fell on familiar markings he suddenly knew. So that was why, the dark markings he shared, the familiar runes, the dark red marks of the frightened cub, he knew those markings all too well, markings that haunted his dreams and stirred infernal rage. The presence he had felt, the taunting scent, it all came together...Mrost. So he had been here, and these cubs...they were his. How very interesting.
Drawing to a stop, the great lion stood before the firekin, green eyes focused on red, a sly, knowing smirk on his paw. He posture was nonthreatening, but there was confidence in his towering form, a great beast that would not yield nor surrender, a demon not to be trifled with.
"It is dangerous for mortals to consort with gods, perhaps even deadly."
His tone was smooth, cunning, a sly comment spoken to one who must have surely realized as he had; a tone that conveyed more than words alone, he knew, and surely she must have known now that he knew.--------------------------- Sitting silently, Hiashi'ikusa watched, red eyes focused on the stranger with seeming indifference. Though the strange male was much larger than himself or his mother, the cub was intimidated, unafraid.
Young as he was, the traits of a seer still unrealized, Ashi did not realize all that his mother had, did not understand that which his brother had felt. However he was observant, clearly noting the markings he and the stranger shared. Nor did he miss the subtle change in his mother's posture, something had caught her eye, something she knew that she hadn't spoken.
"What is it mother?"
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Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 2:35 pm
"Interesting..." Was her only, distracted, murmered response.
This could possibly get messy... she was far from able to speak with her thoughts alone, and didn't care to leave the children unattended and out of her line of sight. Instead, she gave them a second warning, no room for question in her voice.
"Hiashi, Kadogo, whatever is said or transpires here will stay that way. You are to speak not a word of this to anyone. Do I make myself clear?"
She peered down to the two cubs, already knowing that she'd have their obedience, but made it apparent that if they should reconsider they would not like the consequences.
As Tanaka came upon the small trio Azula seemed to relax ever so slightly with his words. Normally one wouldn't feel comfortable assuming anything, and risk giving themselves away, but it was clear just by the way she carried herself that Azula was no normal lioness. Her eyes were sharp, her very being licking clamly like cold flames, much like the silver stripes that licked her hide.
"Dangerous... certainly, unless one knows what they do in engaging such an encounter. You're of his blood then, I would assume." The resemblance was undeniable. Scent, markings, his very aura hinted at something unlike most other encounters, though just barely tickling the supposed sixth sense.
She stated boldly, though the tone in which she spoke was calm, silky enough to almost pass for a purr but laced with a touch of mirth. There was just a slight smirk to her eyes, the well earned boasting privledge of one who had danced with with death, with War himself and come out unscathed and with victory secured within her claws.
Still, he left her question unanswered. What purpose did he have in coming here, if he was looking for Mrost then he was well too late. It had been two months at the least since she'd seen hide or hair of the blue god, just as she would prefer it. The last thing she would've needed in her vulnerable state was for him to show up stirring up trouble. It seemed a good bit of fortune for her that he obviously felt no need to silence her in the event that she decided to speak up, such as now.
Kadogo had nothing that he could contribute to this encounter, and so he simply kept quiet as the stranger's one visible green eye roamed over his tiny form. He didn't have the other one, it was quite disturbing to look at him head on but Kadogo was too transfixed to look away either. He too saw the markings that made him look so much like his oldest sibling. Now why would a stranger bear more resemblance in markings to them than daddy? (Well, except for Zita and Zari, who had Tamu's streaked tail.)
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Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 5:20 pm
The great lion laughed, demonic fangs glistening as the wretched sound fell from his jaws as if with the raging fires of hell itself. It was a mocking laugh, malevolent, the kind of laugh that caused brave men to flee, that chilled even the warmest of hearts, a laugh that radiated with fiendish darkness and malicious glee.
So, the great manipulator, the god of war, had fallen prey to his own game. Oh yes, he could see it now. This lioness was far to brilliant to fall for the blue god's deception, and the scent was far to distant for the beast to have stayed nearby. Oh he could almost imagine this firekin sending that infernal blue creature running with his tail between his legs, and he laughed again at the thought of it. He was right to have traveled this way, how deliciously interesting indeed.
But Tanaka was not his brother, he would not be fooled so easily, nor would he fall victim to a mortal, clever or otherwise.
"And what do you propose to know mortal? Other than the briefness of your own life."
His words were not meant as a threat, he would not have killed her for this encounter was far to delightful to end it such. It was a statement of fact, his own excursion into the little game it seemed the lioness wished to play.
"My blood? Perhaps; until the day I rend it from his body and return his soul to the black abyss from which it came."--------------------------------- A nod to his mother was the young cub's response, a silent statement of loyalty that spoke clearly to those who knew him. As his mother requested he would not speak of this day, but he would remember it, carrying the memories for his own purpose and the day that he would need them.
He watched the stranger in silence, eyes noting the dark markings they shared, falling on the tawny mane covering the absent eye, and finally falling on the single green orb. There he watched intently, staring into the horrendous green gaze as if reading, searching for whatever mysteries lay within.
Ashi was not a skittish cub, showing cold composure in all that he had faced thus far. And though he did not fear, he could not deny he was unnerved at the chilling maniacal laugh of the white stranger.
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Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:30 am
Her gaze remained calm... Even in the face of such darkness she didn't seem shaken from her place. One who danced in the flames on a regular basis had no need to fear their burn. If anything, his laughter sent a quiver of a rush down her spine, only manifesting itself visibly in a twitch of her black tail tuft. He seemed the type that wouldn't be pulled in by foolish urges to slake off his lust, or empty promises for power or loyalty.
Perhaps, just maybe she'd been wrong about the gods.
"I know that War is too taken with his own desires to think things through... Here he has left me with five promising children... I wonder what the extent of their potential might be, born of Motoujamii blood and that of the immortals."
By her tone, it was more of an implication than a genuine curiosity. When presented with an opprotunity such as this, she could not help but take a moment to express a bit of joy that her scheming had produced such a litter.
"If you're tracking the blue demon, I haven't seen his hide in these lands in two moons. He did pass through here, however."
A clash of gods, what a magnificent sight must be to behold. Just the thought of it made Azula's blood race and her heart pulse with the thrill of battle. It had been so long since she had even sparred with another, not since settling down here. The lioness's eyes narrowed just so, an almost eerie sight as her eyes seemed sunken into the blacker-than-black abyss of her fur. How bothersome, she realized, that she had come all this way only to find the great Firekin of Legend pacified and reclusive with their meager little selection of "slaves" and their numbers dangerously close to inbreeding.
"It certainly sounds much better than festering here in a dying pride." She allowed herself one sentence of complaint, and it was clear that she did not hold the respect for the Firekin that she once had as a child. Her people had gotten completely soft, something she simply would not allow to happen to her or her brood.
Where Hiashi was unsettled, Kadogo was just downright frightened. His ears flattened as his little body gave a shudder, as though trying to shake off a sudden chill despite the intense heat.
He was only paying partial attention to half of what was being said anyway, too nervous for anything more.
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Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 2:54 pm
Tail flicking like a viper prepared to strike, Tanaka allowed a broad smirk to spread across his maw, a villainous smirk of demonic satisfaction. Oh he liked this mortal, a strong and clever creature who had bested his brother, for that alone earned his respect.
"Immortal blood does not make one great. It breeds arrogance and foolishness, all too often rending those it touches and leaving them to perish in misery and despair."
His tone was cold, laced with bitterness, each accent marked with menacing fangs. For a brief moment his thoughts drifted, the memory of his own fall burning in his gaze, the day his wings had been taken from him and he had been cast from the immortal realm. For that instant his hatred rose, as if suddenly remembering how he despised the gods and the vow he had sworn that day to reap his vengeance on them all, a hatred that was soon swallowed again by the hellish rage held only for his brother.
"But perhaps it is these cubs that will be the exception."
The great lion's head lowered until his gaze fell directly on the young cubs, green eye gazing into small red eyes, first on the youngest then settling on the elder.
"Will you be the ones to rise to greatness?"
His attention again turned to the lioness, unwilling to linger so close to children for so long least she conclude he meant them harm.
"I can still smell him on the wind. I will follow him wherever that trail may lead, and there I will kill him."------------------------------- Hiashi'ikusa watched in silence, eyes following each movement, his ears taking in every word. As each syllable fell, the cub remembered, young mind absorbing every detail, storing all that he'd need to know.
He refused to flinch, small form firmly planted, his own red eyes narrowed as the lion neared, staring back at the beast without fear. A slight flick of his tail was the only indication of his discomfort, the flexing of paws revealing that he would have sooner lashed out than run.
He did not bother to answer the lion's question, there was no need to. He had already known he would be great, for he was like his mother.
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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:25 pm
The red lioness simply "Hm"'ed in response, watching Tanaka quietly as the hatred for his brother danced around him like an invisible flame of ice, very similar to the way that Azula's ambition did. It was plainly visible to one who practiced honing her ability to read such feelings, it was a necessary part of survival and sucess. Know how to read your enemy and your allies.
"It sounds like a grand battle..." A clash of titans. Azula was not kissing up in the least, but hesitant to put too much of her genuine intrest out there. "And what will you do once you've slain War?" She wondered aloud. Surely one with such a passion for hating another had to have some idea of what to do with their time afterwards. Maybe he hadn't thought of it yet, or maybe that wouldn't be the end of the struggle, the conflict, the battle. Maybe he would wait for his brother to rise once more only to fell him once again, but she wouldn't find out simply by watching him here and now. Did he have any other goals, or were his plans only to see the blue-demon's blood spilt until the corpse drained dry?
Kadogo remained silent as well, though it was more out of uncertainty than any bravery or strength.
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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:52 pm
The great lion smirked, lone green eye focused on the red gaze of the lionesses. There was a strength there that lay beyond her physical form, radiating from her in a glorious aura, a clever ambition that was all too rare in mortal and immortal alike.
"It shall be, a clash the land will remember for generations to come."
His smirk spread maliciously, tail lashing as if thinking of how he would rend his brother's hide from his body, his talons spilling that infernal blood to water the earth where he fell. It would indeed be a glorious battle, Tanaka would see to that, and his fangs glistened with his thirst for that day.
"Then I will pursue those who took my wings, and they will feel my rage as War will before them."
Perhaps it seemed odd that Tanaka would share such things with a mortal he had only just met. But there was something about this firekin that compelled him, perhaps he saw himself in her, that malevolent ambition he knew all too well. Or perhaps he thought she would be a strong ally in clash to come, how deliciously ironic it would be should he use Mrost's own children against him.----------------------- The young cub shifted, eyes narrowing with intrigue, tufted tail calmly flicking lightly against the sandy earth. Who was this white lion, and why did he suddenly sense something familiar in him? There was much his young mind did not understand, so much that was foreign to him. But somehow, he knew that this beast was a closer relation to him than the lion he had know as his father. It seemed there was much to ask his mother, later when they were alone, he was sure she knew the answers he did not.
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Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 1:17 pm
The adult continued to watch Tanaka with quiet blood-hued eyes, mind tame and calm behind the mask of black. What he said, what he suggested, was interesting, interesting indeed. Still, as curious as she might be to see this battle she wouldn't risk leaving the pride and the cubs, with all their potential, that she had put up with Mrost to bear and then birth. She'd have to keep this in mind though, it was a pity she wouldn't be there to see it.
"Well then, stranger, I wish you good fortune on your quest..."
Her tail swayed calmly behind her once, as a restless serpent might.
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Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 2:12 pm
He stood silent for a moment, his body still, eyes fixed on the lioness. His was gaze intense, firey as if reading her, searching for the hints of what lay beneath that facade, the thoughts hidden behind those red eyes. There was more there than she was telling, he could sense it.
Finally his smirk faded, his head tilted just enough that it may have been taken as a farewell, but that calculating look never quite left his, maw parted just enough to reveal a single fang.
"If you ever wish to witness such a battle, journey far to the northeast to the wasteland called Storm Valley."
His voice was calm, a casual invitation to an ambitious soul, a choice left entirely in her paws. His words spoken, the great lion stepped forward, moving past the red lioness and her cubs without another glance, leaving only his final words echoing in the desert air.
"Join me there, if you wish for greatness."
--------------------------
He watched, dark ears flicking with the lion's words, the echos remaining long after they had been spoken. He had grown interested in the white lion, intrigued by all he had said, each word stored in his memory along with his own questions.
But he did not speak them, not now, the time would come for that later. Instead he simply watched the white lion until the massive form vanished, only then looking to his mother, the unspoken questions in his eyes.
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Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 3:23 pm
So... fate did indeed leave her with yet another opprotunity before her. This was the benifit of taking action when opprotunity knocked.
A wish for greatness... she did, in a sense, and ambition was strong within her, but discipline was also strong. It seemed like this would be a good experience, a chance to move on to better things, to find those that could be thought of as equals, whic was fine by her.
As the fallen god ambled slowly past the three he had Azula's eyes watching him go. Only once he had departed from their presence did she look towards home, turning round'about to head that way. There was much to think about and likely little time to do it. She did not miss her eldest's questioning look, now was just not the time as she was sure he was wise enough to understand. While she trusted that she could trust Hiashi to be loyal, Kadogo was still a bleeding heart, and she didn't want him overhearing anything he might prematurely blather about in question to his "father". Tamu'meka didn't need to know that Azula planned to leave, or that she would take most of "their" children with them. But yes, there was much for her to think about before that decision could be made for certain, the details...
"Come. We're heading back, you two."
Kadogo exhaled softly in relief as the white beast left, and looked curiously at his brother and then Azula, confused. Ashi had obviously developed a curiosity of his own, but they both knew mother wasn't likely to tell. (Though Kado didn't realize she was not likely to tell -him-, in particular.)
Instead of asking, he silently fell back in line again with a tired look. The trek back home would likely feel even longer than the journey out here. He meanwhile, would try to ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Change was on the wind.
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